Business group upset with ‘end of course’ exam grading system

Texans are likely to hear much more about new end of course testing in the coming months as controversy continues to build around the exams for high school students.

Bill Hammond

The lack of a uniform grading standard bothers the Texas Association of Business.

“I’m concerned that the state is setting up the process to be a failure,” said Bill Hammond, president and CEO of the Texas Association of Business. “Putting a test out there with no uniform grading standard and with no uniform standard on how that test should be counted towards a final grade is just asking for the system to fail.”

The lack of uniform standards will also hurt the new accountability system, making it impossible to know how our schools are doing on the critical job of preparing students for college and for the workforce.

“I think a good, solid accountability system that has standards that everyone can understand is critical in reaching these goals, that we must reach if Texas is going to remain competitive,” said Hammond. “I think the agency (TEA) is derelict in terms of not issuing guidelines.”

The lack of statewide guidelines should concern employers, because this could have a long term impact on the quality of the Texas workforce.

“I think the school districts are gaming the system, the students will follow by gaming the system, and you will have spent millions and millions of taxpayer dollars preparing these tests to no end,” said Hammond.

Commissioner Robert Scott

But Education Commissioner Robert Scott says his agency is not allowed to interfere.

“State law is very clear. I do not have the authority to issue a uniform grading policy for Texas public schools. Our education system is based on a presumption of local control by elected school boards,” he said.

TEC §7.003 says “An educational function not specifically delegated to the agency or the board under this code is reserved to and shall be performed by school districts or open-enrollment charter schools.”

Texas Education Code (TEC) §28.0216 says “A school district shall adopt a grading policy, including provisions for the assignments of grades on class assignments and examinations…”

TEC §39.023 (c), which deals with the end-of-course exams, says “A school district shall…adopt a policy that requires a student’s performance on an end-of-course assessment instrument for a course listed in this subsection in which the student is enrolled to account for 15 percent of the student’s final grade for the course.”

“In short, my office has been given no authority to override the decisions of local school boards on their grading policies and the applications of the end-of-course exams to a student’s grade. An attempt to do so would only invite litigation that would cause further confusion,” Scott said.

The law creating the 15 percent grading policy requirement was passed by the Texas Legislature in 2007. Two additional regular sessions have occurred since then, and lawmakers have not changed the grading policy provisions.

“I understand the situation may be causing confusion, and I look forward to working with lawmakers to sort this out in the next legislative session,” Scott said.